Comentario sobre Deuteronómio 6:3

AND THOU SHALT OBSERVE TO DO IT ‘ASHER YITAV LECHA’ (WHICH WILL BE WELL WITH THEE). He is thus commanding you that you should take care to do what will benefit you. “A LAND FLOWING WITH MILK AND HONEY. Although removed from it, this phrase is connected with the expression to possess it [at the end of Verse 1]. Or it may be that the expression [a Land flowing …] lacks the letter beth, [making it equivalent to ba’aretz — ‘in the Land’ flowing with milk and honey, and thus it is not necessary to say that the phrase a Land flowing … refers to Verse 1; instead, the verse before us enjoins Israel to observe the commandments in the Land] just as in the verse, that was found ‘beith’ (House of) the Eternal²⁰⁵II Kings 12:11. [which lacks a beth, making it b’veith — ‘in the House of’ the Eternal].” This is the language of Rabbi Abraham ibn Ezra. And if so, there is also lacking in the phrase and that ye might increase mightily the word bo (“in it”) [so that its meaning would be “and that ye might increase mightily ‘in it,’” that is, in the Land flowing with milk and honey]; or [the missing part may be the word] ba’avuro (“because of it”). But there is no need [to interpret the verse as if letters and words were missing]. For [the word l’ma’an (so that) from the phrase in the preceding Verse 2] and ‘so that’ thy days be prolonged, should be drawn here [to Verse 3], and its meaning is as follows: “‘so that’ it may be well with thee.” Or it may be that the word asher (which) [‘asher’ yitav lecha] itself serves the same purpose [meaning “so that” or “because of”], as in the verse, And he removed her from being queen ‘asher’ she had made an abominable image²⁰⁶I Kings 15:3. which means “‘because of’ her having made an abominable image.” Similarly, ‘ba’asher’ thou art his wife²⁰⁷Genesis 39:9. means “‘because of’ your being his wife.” And so also Scripture states, which I command thee this day ‘asher’ (so that) it may go well with thee etc., and so that thou mayest prolong thy days upon the Land.²⁰⁸Above, 4:40. And the purport of the verse [here] is as follows: “Hear, therefore, O Israel, and take care to do it so that it may be well with thee, and that ye may increase mightily, as the Eternal the G-d of thy fathers hath promised to give unto thee a Land flowing with milk and honey etc.;” that is to say, in order that He may do good to you when He gives you a good and large Land,²⁰⁹Exodus 3:8. as he said further [in Verse 18], so that it may be well with thee, and that thou mayest go in and possess the good Land. Similarly, and he gave him a house, and said to him victuals²¹⁰I Kings 11:18 — Here likewise the phrase as the Eternal, the G-d of thy fathers promised unto thee, a Land flowing with milk and honey, means “promised to give thee.” [means: “and he said to ‘give’ him victuals”].

ושמעת ישראל, when you have attained this purpose which G’d had had in mind for you from the beginning in His great kindness. It is important that through performance and awareness you will appreciate the tremendous goodwill G’d has demonstrated by His legislating these commandments.

ושמרת לעשות אשר ייטב לך, “You shall be careful to perform so that it will be good for you.” Moses underlines that the whole purpose of what he commands the people is for its own benefit.

ארץ זבת חלב ודבש, “a land flowing with milk and honey.” The reason this paragraph concludes with the words “a land flowing with milk and honey,” whereas the next paragraph commences with שמע ישראל followed by והיו הדברים האלה, is to remind you that the purpose of your coming to the Holy Land is not to merely dwell there and for you to enjoy yourselves. The purpose that you come there is to enable you to keep G’d’s commandments. The enlarged letter ד in the word אחד alludes to both the goodwill of G’d which is the source of Mercy as well as to the attribute of Justice. The whiteness of the milk in the word חלב in our verse as well as redness of the honey respectively also point at the attribute of Mercy and Justice respectively. This same thought is alluded to also in Deut. 8,8 ארץ חטה ושעורה “a land producing wheat and barley.” In that latter verse wheat is the “white” and the word דבש appears there also to depict the attribute of Justice.

ארץ זבת חלב ודבש, “a land flowing with milk and honey.” This is an abbreviated sentence, and should read: כאשר דבר ה' אלוקי אבותיך לתת לך ארץ זבת חלב ודבש, “as the Lord the G-d of your father said to give you a land flowing with milk and honey.”An alternate interpretation: there is only a letter ב missing at the beginning of the word ארץ. We have other such examples such as in Kings II 12,11: 'הנמצא בית ה where we would have expected 'הנמצא ב בית ה, “which is in the Temple.” The author claims that there are numerous more such examples that he could quote. The sentence would conclude by saying that “as the Israelites would greatly multiply, (something not surprising), seeing that the land is flowing with milk and honey.”

ושמרת לעשות אשר ייטב לך, and you will endeavour to carry out all these tasks out of a feeling of love for G’d, in order to be worthy of His goodwill, aware that He is interested in creating conditions which will make you merit a continued existence. Seeing that this is His purpose in legislating any and all of these commandments, you will also observe these commandments in order to multiply greatly on earth. This is a goal you will achieve if your performance of these commandments is not for the sake of the material reward but לשמה, for His honour, as acts of righteousness and justice in the pure sense. כאשר דבר ה' אלוקיך לך, ארץ זבת חלב ודבש, as He had said to you concerning this land that it “flows with milk and honey.” This land is inherently capable of providing those of its owners who take the lesson we just spelled out to heart, with an easy livelihood, a livelihood which leaves the person sufficient leisure time to pursue Torah studies and by means of this to penetrate more deeply into its meaning and also to be fruitful and to multiply.

ארץ זבת חלב ודבש, “a land flowing with milk and honey.” According to Ibn Ezra these words are the continuation of the verse concluding with the word לרשתה, “to inherit it,” in verse 1. He claims that this is so although it seems to be far removed from that sentence above. Alternately, we would have to conclude that the prefix ב is missing here and the Torah had meant to write בארץ זבת חלב ודבש, “in a land which flows with milk and honey.” Yet another possibility is to assume that the word לתת, “to give,” is missing and the verse has to be understood as concluding with the words כאשר דבר ה' אלוקי אבותיך לתת לך ארץ זבת חלב ודבש.